Category: Fitness and Exercise

Going to the gym can be a great way to improve your lifestyle and your physique. Though, it is important to remember that it requires a large amount of commitment and dedication. Over the years, people have stopped attending their favorite gyms, which has left fitness enthusiasts wondering about the reasons behind this change. Below are some of the top reasons as to why people have stopped attending gyms.

The Price of Memberships

The average price of a gym membership varies significantly depending on the amenities that come with the gym, the company that owns the gym, and where you live. Thinking about having to put out such a large sum of money, in order to temporarily use equipment is quite an investment for many. Unlike a gym pass in Dubai that helps you to get a good deal on your favorite gym spots, paying for a regular membership is simply unattainable for most people.

At-Home Gyms

More and more home owners are relying on DIY projects and this includes improving their physiques. At-home gyms are becoming more popular as homeowners can sometimes find gym equipment for less than what they would pay for a regular gym membership. The longer you intend on going to the gym, the more you’ll be paying for a membership, which is money that you could use for your own equipment. Though it is important to note that, gyms give you access to many more machines than you would be able to keep in your home.

The Intimidation Factor

You would be surprised at the sheer number of people who don’t go to gyms because they’re afraid of how other people look at them. The sheer intimidation factor is enough for most people to choose to workout at home or not workout at all. Generally, it’s the thought of not meeting the standards of other people working out around them that really makes every type of gym intimidating.

Finding the Time

One of the most difficult things that fitness enthusiasts find in terms of working out is having enough time to get it done. This is one of the main excuses as to why people shy away from the gym but at the end of the day, making time is incredibly simple as long as you’re dedicated. Whether you work out in the morning or after work at night, there is always time to fit in a small workout.

Summer is here and women are thinking shorts, tank tops, sundresses and bathing suits! These thoughts are often enough to get someone stepping back into the gym. But, how many times have they set new fitness goals for themselves only to lose interest in a couple of weeks? We all need a little help sometimes! It is for this reason that they capitalize on the tremendous benefits of working with a personal trainer.

Every single person can benefit from working with a trainer. Personal training is truly an investment in one’s own health and well-being. Let’s take a look at the reasons why people achieve more when working with a personal trainer.

ACCOUNTABILITY & MOTIVATION- Trainers are experts at holding you accountable. You have a set, paid appointment. Your trainer will be there waiting for you with a smile on their face each and every time you show up. They help you to not only develop your own personalized goals but to also develop a realistic and achievable plan to attain these goals. Trainers have the ability to believe in you even when you are feeling at your lowest and don’t believe in yourself. “CAN’T” is not in a trainer’s vocabulary.

DEVELOP A ROUTINE– Sure, it’s easy to get to the gym and hop on the elliptical, but then what? Trainers are educated on the most effective ways to help you get to your fitness goals. They will work with you to develop a routine that makes sense and is realistic for you. If you haven’t worked out in months and you are just returning to the gym, a trainer will not expect you to begin a fitness regimen consisting of 60-minute routines 5 days a week. A trainer will help you to figure out what makes sense in your life that will maximize your time in the gym but not overwhelm you. They will work with you to develop an exercise routine that takes you on the path to achieving your personal goals. All along the way holding you accountable and providing motivation!

NEW PERSPECTIVES & IDEAS ON NUTRITION, AND FITNESS-There is an overwhelming amount of fitness, nutrition, and health information available. It is impossible for the average person to have time to sift through this information for what is most valid, accurate and up to date. It is the job of the trainer to stay on top of health trends and continue their education, in order to provide you with the safest and most accurate information in the industry. Is that new fad diet really effective? Will I really get a bikini body by doing that popular workout? Is it true what I read in this fitness magazine? These are just some of the questions trainers deal with on a daily basis. Trainers are able to use their education, knowledge, and experience to provide you with tips and tricks to help you develop a healthier lifestyle. We are constantly sharing recipes and ways to contend with obstacles in your nutrition such as candy in the office, or how to manage menu’s when dining out with friends. Often trainers are the first to say, “Hey, you’ve been complaining about this for a little bit. Maybe you should go see a doctor, massage therapist, nutritionist, etc.” Trainers see you on a regular basis and are able to recognize if something is different or just not right and are always happy to point it out and refer you to the appropriate expert. We care about your health and well-being! And we will hold you accountable to taking care of yourself nutritionally, physically and with your overall health!

SOLID, CONSISTENT, NON-JUDGMENTAL SUPPORT- Not everyone has your best interest in mind. Your trainer, though, only cares about you and your success. Your trainer will be there. Each hour you spend with your trainer is an hour to focus on you and only you! They will provide consistent feedback to help you better yourself and achieve your goals. Most importantly, the trainer is able to do this without making you feel inadequate or judged. We have all gone into the gym and worried about what we look like doing an exercise or compare ourselves to someone else. Trainers don’t judge or derogate. They help you to see all of your successes, big and small, even when you can’t see them yourself. Through this support, trainers will hold you accountable and motivate you, despite your feelings about yourself!

PROPER TECHNIQUE & FORM- Watching all the youtube videos in the world and reading all the fitness magazines, does not substitute having a person by your side providing you immediate feedback on form and technique. It is very easy to hurt yourself in the gym. Trainers pay attention, cue both your mind and your body and help you achieve your goals more quickly by making sure you are doing each exercise correctly. They can help you develop better running form, improve your posture, and increase your strength by teaching you to use the proper muscles and making a mind-body connection. With each exercise, trainers will hold you accountable to keep proper form and technique so as to prevent injury!

INJURY PREVENTION and/or INJURY REHAB– Often people shy away from equipment in the gym because they are afraid of hurting themselves. Likewise, one may stop attending the gym due to an injury. Trainers will teach you how to use equipment properly so that you do not injure yourself. They will also work with you to prevent injuries in everyday life by helping you increase your balance, flexibility, and core strength. They are able to focus on specific exercises that will benefit you based on your activities of daily living. And in the chance that you have suffered an injury, trainers are able to work with you to safely exercise, keep your range of motion, and get your strength back. Just recently, I broke my leg; My trainer did not let me stop working out. After communicating with my physical therapist, we were able to develop a plan for me to keep up my upper body strength and begin rehab on my leg. A personal trainer will not let you use an injury as an excuse to not workout!

SPORTS SPECIFIC TRAINING-Are you an athlete? Even a recreational athlete can get better at their sport. Trainers have studied body patterns and movements. They know the best exercises to help you develop strength, endurance, speed, and agility for your sport. A trainer will know if you have been keeping up your routine through your performance and will hold you accountable to the sports specific exercises in your program.

MAXIMIZE WORKOUT/MINIMIZE TIME-You will burn more calories in less time when working with a trainer. A trainer develops a program that is efficient and allows you to get the most in, in the shortest amount of time. Time does not need to be lost at the gym. If you are finding it hard to find time to work out, not only will a trainer help you to get the most out of your workout, but they will teach you ways to do it on your own. Each week trainers will follow up to see if you achieved your workout goals for the week, holding you accountable to exercise on your own time and make tweaks to the program to help you be successful.

PERSONALIZED PROGRAM-Personal training is just that, PERSONAL! A trainer will develop a program that is specific to you and your goals. If you have an injury, if you want to climb a mountain, if you want to lose weight to become pregnant, have lower back pain… The program will be specific to you and only you! A program your trainer takes the time to develop and teach to you. You know they are going to hold you accountable to achieving the goals of that program.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING- Some of my favorite time during the week is with my clients. You develop a relationship with your trainer like no other. Your relationship is very personal. There are not very many people whom you share your goals so specifically, who in turn will work so diligently to help you achieve them. Often that hour (or two, or three) a week you spend with your trainer, is the only time in your week that is truly devoted to you, your goals, and your successes. I have had sessions in which my client is angry and just wants to workout. There is no talking for the hour. I have had sessions with clients who have recently lost a loved one and their hour with me is their time to escape. I also have had sessions with clients where they are so excited to share with me their personal successes and how what we are doing in training is translating into their life outside the gym. Often times intimate details of life are shared in sessions and I am so grateful that people trust me enough to allow me these details. It is these personal relationships and the intimate knowledge of who you are that help the trainer to work specifically with you and to hold you accountable to your goals!

RESULTS-Working with a trainer will allow you to achieve the results that you cannot achieve on your own. Each person’s goals are extremely personal. Whether it is weight loss, injury rehab, or companionship. A trainer is going to develop goals that will lead you down a path to success. As a trainer, I work diligently with each of my clients to help them recognize their results, tangible and intangible, as well as results they never anticipated having. It is these results that not only hold you accountable to me, but they hold me, your trainer, accountable to you!

Laila Lallas is the founder of In Shape Ladies Fitness Club. To fulfill her life dream of delivering high-quality service to the community, specifically women, to empower them by making them feel fit, unique and confident. To achieve her mission, Laila believed and adopted the following vision “to excel in helping women in their journey for a fitter and healthier lifestyle, by evaluating, teaching, training, encouraging and supporting them in a friendly un-intimidating atmosphere.”